Fort Worth Zoo Release Rare Snakes Back into the Wild

The Fort Worth Zoo released 75 Louisiana pine snakes in the Kisatchie National Forest – the most snakes released by the zoo at once since its conservation program began in 2015.

The May 9 release marked a major conservation milestone; the Louisiana pine snake is endangered and one of the rarest snakes in North America.

To date, the Fort Worth Zoo has released a total of 229 Louisiana pine snakes into a restored and maintained area within the snake’s historic range, the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. The released snakes were hatched in 2023 and raised at the Zoo until they were large enough to survive in the wild (at about 2.5 feet long).

Photo courtesy of the Fort Worth Zoo

The Fort Worth Zoo is one of only four institutions caring for this species in the United States, participating in a breeding program that maintains a healthy, genetically diverse population of the species. The program serves as a hedge against extinction.

More than 90% of the snake’s historic habitat is gone, making it one of the most endangered snakes in North America. The population is threatened from land fragmentation caused by urban development and suppression of natural fires within its forest habitat. Additionally, the snakes are an important part of the ecosystem, acting as a natural pest control.